Jermaine McGlashan: I’ll try to run shirt off my hero Leighton Baines

WHEN Jermaine McGlashan was playing in the Combined Counties League four years ago, he wondered if his chance had gone.

Cheltenham Town''s Jermaine McGlashan celebrates his goal against Torquay United

Turning out in south-west London for Raynes Park Vale, he was working part-time for a mobile phone company as he chased his dream.

The tricky winger had more non-League spells with Merstham and Ashford before finally landing a full-time contract at Aldershot.

Now 24 and Cheltenham’s star player, he hopes to follow his old club by clinching a fourth-round tie against Bolton or Sunderland.

He lines up against Everton tonight knowing he made the right decision in not giving up on his hopes of playing football full-time.

“The belief was there deep down, but as you get older you start thinking whether you accept that this is as far as I might come,” he said.

“But when I got my first professional contract at Aldershot I didn’t think I’d be playing against Manchester United in the Carling Cup against the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen.

“Getting man-of-the-match there is almost like a dream come true and since I’ve come here I’ve played at Wembley and had a big part in the play-offs.

“I didn’t see that one coming and to play against the likes of Everton is unreal when you think I’ve played Combined Counties teams at Raynes Park Vale.

“I was working part-time at Phones4U and sometimes I look back and feel really lucky and blessed to be in the position that I am. To be quite effective at this level now shows how much I’ve come on and I’ve got a lot of managers to thank for that.”

McGlashan should start on the right of a five-man midfield and could face Leighton Baines should Everton boss David Moyes opt to pick a full-strength side.

And the Croydon-born player hopes he might get a souvenir from the England international at full-time.

“I do rate him and like him, so if I don’t do too much damage maybe he’ll give me his shirt after the game.” he said.

The winger has linked well with Sido Jombati this season and the Portuguese right-back sees McGlashan as the Robins’ main threat.

“He’s the player in League Two that gets the most free-kicks and one against one on his day it’s almost impossible to stop him,” said Jombati.

England Under-21 international Ross Barkley, 19, who spent the first part of this season out on loan at Championship side Sheffield Wednesday is set to be in the Everton midfield.

Moyes said: “We have to remember he is a young boy and we’re bringing him on. He missed a bit of football but I will continue to edge him nearer to our first team.

“When the right opportunities come and I think it’s the right time, I will do that.”